Former Cologne boss Jörg Schmadtke joins Liverpool as Sporting Director: Could he impact Gladbach’s summer transfer plans?

This photomontage shows Jörg Schmadtke as the new sports director at Liverpool FC. The 59-year-old previously worked as a manager at 1. FC Köln.

Copyright: IMAGO/Sven Simon

Is a former Cologne boss making Gladbach strong again?

Jörg Schmadtke, ex-Managing Director Sport at 1. FC Köln, is known to have been hired by FC Liverpool in the English Premier League.

The planned early retirement of the 59-year-old is now history.

Gladbach: Is foals manager Virkus playing poker soon with Schmadtke at the corner?

Today, Thursday (June 1, 2023) is officially Schmadtke’s first day of work at Anfield. “Our cooperation is initially planned for three months,” Schmadtke told the TV station.Sport1“.

At Liverpool FC, who have not been able to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2017/18 season, Schmadtke will initially be in charge of sporting skills alongside coach Jürgen Klopp (55).

That means: Schmadtke will be helping the “Reds” in word and deed as interim sporting director in the coming summer transfer period, which starts on July 1st. With the option to stay longer.

And since the transfer rumor has just circulated that Klopp and Liverpool FC midfield jewel Manu Koné (22) should be on the list for access for the coming season, it would be Schmadtke who, in an emergency, with the decision-makers from Borussia Mönchengladbach would get in touch.

Koné still has a contract in Gladbach until 2025 (plus an option for another year). It is said that there should not be an exit clause for this summer.

Up to 45 million euros are already being discussed as a fee for the super foal.

Will Schmadtke win the game for the “Reds” in Koné poker?

The ex-Cologne maker would thus help Gladbach to push ahead with the targeted squad restructuring in Borussia Park.

*Advertisement: Current coupons for the Borussia Mönchengladbach fan shop in the EXPRESS voucher portal to back up*

VfL could use the Liverpool coal for Koné to hunt down the transfer market and attract new stars to the Lower Rhine. In order to finally get back on our feet in sport after three messed up seasons.

In this context, it would be a special (soccer) story if the ex-Cologne manager were involved in what is probably the biggest Gladbach transfer since Granit Xhaka (30).

However, other clubs from the top leagues in Europe are also trying to win Koné. From the Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea FC or Manchester United category.

Follow us on Instagram: @gladbachlive

Gladbach received the highest transfer fee for a player to date in 2016, when captain Xhaka moved from the Lower Rhine to Arsenal London for 45 million euros.

With the money and clever decisions, Borussia was then able to build a team that later stormed into the Champions League.